Dr. Gordon B. West (National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Topic: Examining complex emerging literacies: Multimodality and interaction in young learner assessment

What matters when we assess the developing English language literacy of young multilingual learners? Given the relative dearth of studies focusing on multilingual learners compared to monolingual English users (Willams & Lowrance-Faulhaber, 2018), there is much scope to expand what we know about their unique literacy trajectories. This talk shares findings across multiple studies on young learners’ English writing in assessment contexts, building on what we know about multilingual learners. The first study examines features of writing from a screener test for English language proficiency, with a focus on their multimodal compositions. The second study examines the interactions between teachers and students during writing assessments to understand how teachers work to build a positive affective response. Findings help us understand the complexity of multilingual learners’ emerging writing and how to better scaffold writing tasks. Implications for assessment and instruction will be discussed, highlighting the educator's critical role in fostering positive writing experiences.